Love and Loss Revised
by The White Masque
Summary: Here are the first two and a half chapters of Love and Loss as I revised them in 2006. I thought it would be interesting to see my writing when I first started Love and Loss and see how it matured by 2006.
1. Beginnings Revised

Hello, all my old readers! No, I am not starting a new story and, unfortunately, nor am I continuing my previous stories. Instead, I have here a few chapters of a revision to _Love and Loss_ I wrote back in December 2006, if I remember rightly. At that time, I had intended on revising and updating _Love and Loss_. An entire revision, of course, never came to be, but I did re-write the first two chapters and a bit of the third. I have always intended to post those few revised chapters, but never got around to it. Perhaps now is the best time. I realize it has been years and years since I have written, however, and I apologize for not completing any of my stories (aside from _Faith Never Fades_, I suppose).

However, if you want a little blast from the past, if you want to laugh at all the Fanfictions you read in youth, feel free to peruse this. Please enjoy!

Chapter 1: Beginnings (Revised)

Laura grumbled lowly to herself.

"Stupid manager…can't give me a friggin' break for the holidays." Emitting an exasperated sigh, she saw it was time to finally get out of her blue Volkswagen Beetle, grab her groceries, then get into the house. One last growl came from her lips as she wrenched the keys out of the ignition and got out of the driver's seat, slamming the door shut in her frustration before going to the trunk and grabbing two bags of groceries in order for her to survive the remaining weeks of Spring Break.

Walking up to the door of the small log cabin her folks owned, she heaved both loaded bags into one arm as she fiddled with the door key, eventually jamming it into the lock and hearing the faint click of the bolt being drawn back. Removing her keys, she hastily pushed a button on her car remote, drawing a few automatic beeps from her car as it locked. Shoving open the wooden door, she smiled as a small Doberman dog ran her way, its stub of a tail shaking madly. Intent on greeting the small animal, she closed the door behind her.

Laura Bradford was a girl of twenty-two and a senior at the University of Illinois. Studies were hard and the young woman had been on the brink of insanity with the end of term papers she had "forgotten" to write until the weekend previous to Spring Break. Luckily, she had been able to whip up a few B-average papers in that short 48-hour period and the break had finally arrived, though the chaos and madness had not ceased. It never helped when your boss, a man of mid-thirties with a temper to match, put you on the clock every free moment you had, thus explaining Laura's frustration. Thankfully, although, she managed to get an evening free, but with the drawback of having had to work an earlier shift.

The girl worked at a small restaurant near the school campus, fitting perfectly into her schedule of classes. Typically she would go about her day-to-day life in an apartment shared with a few other girls, one girl being her best friend Riley McDowell. Laura would go to her classes, take a few hours of break, then walk to work nearly every day. Though with Spring Break, most of the roommates had left to go spend the holidays with their families, causing the rent to be far too much for the remaining girls, therefore Laura stayed in a small log cabin about half an hour from the campus. Her folks had bought the cabin on the occasions that they would come to visit their daughter, but it was empty for the time being and Laura thought why not take the advantage during her time off from studies. She did not plan on returning home due to high airfares, and found it more fun to remain near school where she could spend time with friends there, going to parties and such, that is if time permitted it, but her overcrowded work schedule cut out any time for such moments of fun.

Setting down the bags of groceries on the floor, she knelt down as Austin, her small Doberman, ran up and greeted her with many happy kisses, knocking her backwards as he jumped on her. Laura merely grinned, chuckles escaping her lips as the dog never ceased licking her.

"Hey, boy," she said between bursts of laughter. "Yes, yes, I missed you." Finally grabbing hold of him, she kissed him lightly on the nose and returned to her feet, hastily snatching the groceries up before he had a chance to explore them. "Come on," she called, her feet leading her mechanically to the small kitchen. She set the groceries on the counter and started putting away the food, occasionally talking to Austin as she worked.

"What is the problem with Michael?" she asked the dog with a sigh, referring to her manager. "Why can't he just give me a few days off? No, I have to work every bloody minute I have free." She stuffed away a box of cereal as she complained to Austin, who simply cocked his head as if actually listening and understanding. Turning back to the small dog, she smiled. "You don't want to listen to me rant on, do you, boy?" she asked, once more kneeling down and picking him up. She gave him another small kiss on the nose. "At least I can say I'm getting paid," she admitted with a sigh, setting him down and rising to her feet. Reaching into the paper bag once more, she pulled out a box of microwave popcorn. With a shrug, she opened the box and grabbed one of the small packages, throwing it into the microwave and setting the timer. "Why not?" she commented to Austin with a shrug.

A few minutes later she jumped onto a sofa in the living room with a bowl of freshly made popcorn, Austin coming up beside her with pleading eyes. She flipped on the television and DVD player, recalling what movie she had intended on watching last, but was called to work at the last minute. She hit the "Enter" button on the remote, allowing the movie to begin as she munched idly on popcorn, tossing a piece to Austin every now and then.

An hour and a half later, she was still watching Lord of the Rings in comfort, having never tired of seeing her favorite movie and book series. She had read the books as a young girl and immediately fell in love with them. When the movies came out, she was at first apprehensive of seeing them, knowing how often directors thoroughly destroyed books, but at the urging of Riley, she finally saw the first film in theaters and fell in love with the story all over again, despite the differences in the adaptation.

She watched intently as Strider explained to the hobbits of who the Ringwraiths were and where they came from, knowing that soon they would depart for Rivendell. Her concentration was broken, however, as her cell phone went off, drawing a sigh from Laura. She pushed the mute button, allowing the movie to continue playing in silence. She knew the film well enough, what difference did it make if she missed a few minutes to answer a call. Reaching towards a side table, she grabbed her cell and glanced at the number written on the screen. Only taking a fleeting second, Laura flipped it open and pushed a small button on the phone, raising it to her ear.

"Hey, Ri," she said flatly, partially annoyed that her movie had been interrupted.

"Oh, hey Laura!" came the giddy reply of Riley.

"What's up?" questioned Laura, casually watching the television screen as Strider led the hobbits out of Bree.

"Well, I was wondering if you were comin' to the party tonight, you know Mitch's party," said Riley right away, jumping straight to the point. Laura smirked and rolled her eyes at Riley's blatant manners. "Last time I mentioned it, you said you'd come if you could get the night off. Have you?"

"Yeah, I got it off, thank goodness," came Laura's reply, looking heavenwards as if silently thanking God. Riley made no abrupt response and suddenly became very quiet and hesitant on the line, drawing suspicions from Laura. The girl remained patient, however, knowing eventually it would come out, and soon enough Riley was heard once more, though her tone dramatically changing to sound meek and uncertain.

"The only thing is…is, well, Brian's gonna be there. At least that's what Mitch told me." A look of anguish crossed Laura's face at her friend's words, an expression with enough force to make Riley wince had she been with her.

"That two-timing fraud!" said Laura, practically yelling into her cell, causing Austin to jump up from his peaceful slumber beside her on the couch.

Brian and Laura had dated early in their college years, forming a great relationship in only a few months of knowing each other. Unfortunately, after a few years of dating and only a few months previous, she learned he had been cheating on her for six months or so. Immediately she was disgusted and wanted nothing to do with him, breaking off their relationship instantaneously. At various times he would try to get through to her, but the heartbreak and hurt was too fresh on Laura and instead she ignored him to the best she could.

"_Hell no_, I'm not going to a party with him there!" she growled to Riley. "Don't you remember what he did to me? Come on, get serious!" Riley sighed in annoyance, having expected a similar reaction from her friend, but she was still not deterred and pressed on.

"Laura, it's been six months," she said tentatively, trying to reason with her friend. "He's probably well over it and you should get over it too. It's not like you have to talk to him, and not every guy there is a git like him." Laura smirked and chuckled lightly at Riley's use of British lingo, musing how strange her friend could be sometimes and how unnatural British wording sounded on an American tongue, though she had to admit, it was sometimes fun to talk a little differently. "So will you come?" begged Riley, trying her best to persuade Laura to get out. A party would be good for her, and to meet some other guys was probably best instead of wallowing over what concluded from her previous encounter with love.

"I'll think about it," Laura finally said after a few minutes' silence, running a hand through her golden-brown locks. She heard a squeal of joy from the line and had to pull the phone away due to the volume of the noise. "I'm not making any promises though," she added quickly once her friend had silenced.

"Yeah, yeah," Riley replied obviously ignoring her last comment, causing Laura to roll her eyes again. By then, her attention had completely shifted from the movie to her friend, and her eyes strayed to look out the back door, glancing at the forest that surrounded the cabin. "Oh, how was work?" Riley asked, plowing on to the next topic. "That guy's been workin' you hard. I mean the money's good, but can't he give you a break—"

"Don't want to talk about it," Laura cut her off, a sense of frustration settling on her once again. If it wasn't recent ex-boyfriend troubles, it was work. Today was certainly not Laura's day, and realizing that fact, she ran a hand down the length of her face. Riley certainly did not quit, however, and jumped to another question.

"So, watcha up to then?"

"Movie," came Laura's simple response.

"Let me guess…"

"Lord of the Rings," they both chorused before laughing. They knew each other far too well.

"How can you never get tired of that story?" asked Riley in exasperation. "Sheesh, you must have watched those movies at least twenty times, but then again…" she backtracked slightly, "can't necessarily blame you what with all those hot men and elves. Mmmm…." Laura snorted slightly, another fit of laughs emitting from her. "Which one is it anyway?" said Riley, hearing her friend easily.

"Fellowship," said Laura, not bothering to say the full title. Riley understood well enough. No answer came for a few moments as the girl obviously allowed thoughts to play through her head.

"Pity, that's not all the hot guys in one movie. That Eomer and Faramir always look good in that armor. Eowyn's not a bad chick either for a girl; like her better than Arwen definitely, but Aragorn rules over everyone. You don't forget, that's _my_ ranger. No sissy elves, or ragged men can beat him."

"Yeah, yeah," came Laura's playful reply, blowing off the comment easily as her eyes landed on her television again to see the Council of Elrond beginning. "What do you know, there's some 'sissy elves' and 'ragged men' now," she commented, hastily clarifying what scene she was watching.

After a few more moments talking about the movie and a few other topics, their conversation drew to a close and Riley had a few concluding comments, including a reminder of the party and one last plea for Laura to come.

"I'll call you in a few hours to give you a heads up if I'm coming," Laura said, determined to shush her friend. She didn't need to hear about parties or work; she just needed a break, some time off to relax with little to preferably no stress.

She suddenly turned her head as she heard Austin loudly pawing at the door, whimpers escaping from him as his claws scratched against the glass. Hastily, bringing her concentration back on the conversation for a few seconds' more, she ended it.

"Listen, I got to go. I'll call ya later," she reassured, closing her cell and setting it on the side table again as she stood from the couch. She allowed her eyes to stray to the film once more, watching as Elrond's lips moved soundlessly, but she knew what was said, and instead voiced the lines herself, matching her words as he mouthed.

"'Nine companions,'" she quoted, "'so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!'" She smirked as she left the small living room to the wooden door, Austin whining loudly as he begged to be let out. "Alright, boy, alright," she murmured, unlocking the door and opening it. "Go on out." Austin immediately sped out the door as soon as it opened. She smiled slightly to herself, following him out and closing the door softly behind her.


	2. Of Men and Hobbits Revised

Chapter 2: Of Men and Hobbits

Austin ran around the yard, wagging his stubby tail happily, as Laura watched him from the back door, occasionally glancing back into the house. Reaching down to a pocket of her jeans, she felt for a bulge indicating she had remembered her keys. A sigh of relief passed her lips as she heard the familiar jingle of metal against metal. Quickly, she pulled out her keys, looking them over before stuffing them back in her pocket. Raising her gaze, she assumed to see Austin still bouncing around chasing a moth or sniffing some shrub, but stopped as no sign of her dog was seen. Her eyes scanned the trees surrounding her for some trace of Austin, some movement that would indicate his being near, but nothing appeared and she swore loudly, jogging into the yard and eventually the forest, shouting his name.

"Austin!" she hollered as she ran after the little dog. "Hey, Austin!" she yelled again her eyes looking every direction. The overhanging branches scratched her, but that did not matter. She darted her way amongst the trees, thanking God she had been on the cross country team when in high school. There was no path to follow although, and that hindered her partially, but still she continued on, shouting Austin's name every few seconds. "Shoot," she muttered, slowing to a jog and looking behind to see if she could still catch some glimpse of her house. Nothing could be seen beyond the vast branches of the forest, though she took some comfort in the fact that she had run a relatively straight path and by turning around she could manage her way home easily. She spun around again and set off once more. "Austin!" she hollered in her loudest of voices, immediately leaving her speechless with having strained her vocal cords. She coughed as she ran on, hardly noticing the change in the forest, as the trees drew closer and grew more dense and foreboding. A feeling of helplessness came upon her as she looked at the looming trees, getting an eerie sense of hatred from them. She no longer felt at home, but was determined to find her dog and continued trekking on. She cursed herself for having left her cell phone on the table in the living room instead of stuffing it in her pocket, but that could not be helped.

Luck did not seem to be with her that day, social life problems, work difficulties, losing her dog. It all was maddening and all she could do was to try and keep her head held high. Luck would still continue to avoid her however as she failed to notice a root jutting out of the ground, groping into the air, just waiting to catch her. "Oomph," she muttered as she hit the soft forest floor. Growling, she shoved herself up with her forearms, but looking around, she noticed how hazy the forest looked. Just minutes before she had seen clearly, but then it looked as if she were in a dream, a fog suddenly appearing around her, swirling about her in a mist and pulling her into a daze. Hearing the call of sleep, darkness came upon her, and she saw no more.

When Laura woke, she hoisted herself up, scanning the woodland around her in attempt to recall what had brought her to be in such a place. Pushing up from the forest floor, she staggered on the ground, her head spinning.

"How did I end up here now?" she questioned aloud with a moan, rubbing her head delicately. Then suddenly, as if waiting for the question, the memories flooded back to her, bringing with them a look of disbelief. "Bloody tree root," she grumbled, picking up Riley's use of British terms. "As if I don't have any other problems going on. Oh _no_, my life is at the peak of perfection," she yelled loudly to the sky. She groaned and grabbed her head again as the headache drastically returned and she stumbled forward slightly to lean against a great oak tree. Taking a moment to calm and get a hold of herself, she leaned back against the trunk and closed her eyes. In the silence she took a few deep calming breaths and opened her emerald eyes once more. She looked the direction she had come, talking quietly to herself.

"Alright, I came from that way, so I just have to get home and give 911 a call. Hopefully someone should've found him." Her gaze turned back to where she had been running, her eyes scanning the trees hopefully for some miracle that Austin would be there waiting for her. She took a few steps in the direction and stumbled down a small slope landing on her knees in the middle of a dirt road. "Just great!" she bellowed jumping to her feet. "Now I fall into this dirt—" she stopped abruptly, realizing what she had been saying. There was no road in the forest behind her house! "Where the heck did this come from?" she murmured aloud. Taking a moment for her thoughts, she looked down the road on both sides. A look of confusion passed over her face, but transformed into interest as she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching. Crossing her arms, she stood to a side, waiting for the strangers to approach so she could ask when a road had been made.

The wait was not long, for soon enough, a man looking to be in his mid-forties appeared, a tattered, old black cloak wrapped about him. His black hair was unkempt and dirtied, his stubble of beard completely unshaven. Under his cloak glinted the metal of a sword, and his grimy hands bore a silver ring with an emerald stone. He looked to be a traveler from a period long ago, but he looked far from dangerous despite his appearance. His grey eyes held secrets and knowledge that spanned across the years; strength was held within his dark orbs, but also a gentle kindness and respect not found in most men. She felt it an honor to be in his presence, but for what reason she was at a loss. An air of familiarity emitted from him to the woman, but she could not grasp why due to his strange attire. The man sped quickly up the road, accompanied by what seemed to be three children, with one leading a small pony; an even stranger sight.

"Uh…excuse me," she said, causing him to stop before her, indicating with a single gesture for his companions to remain behind. A look of suspicion crossed his features, but only for a moment as he waited for her to continue. Laura noticed the signs and was cautious to continue, but spoke nonetheless. "Listen, I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wonderin' if you could tell me when this road was made. I don't remember it being here before." The man looked her up and down, taking in her strange garb, but he felt no hint of evil from her, only slight confusion and innocence. He relaxed the grip upon the hilt of his blade which he had grabbed instinctively as she had spoken.

"This road has been here for many ages, lady," he finally replied. "Its exact history, I cannot give you, for our time is short. My companions and I must continue on." He walked forward, making as if to pass her, still indicating no evil intentions from her, and therefore deeming her safe. The children followed, looking at Laura curiously as they passed. Looking them over, the woman noticed they were not children at all, only appearing so in stature. Their feet were also abnormally large…and hairy, drawing a look of confusion from her. _What…?_ she thought. She turned to see the man's retreating back and spoke up once more.

"Wait, I'm sorry to annoy you again. I know you need to get going, but you look familiar. Have we met before?" The man looked back to her and his eyes scanned her face, but he shook his head.

"I have trouble understanding your dialect, my lady, yet I do not recall having met you before. Now if you will excuse us, we have need to go to Rivendell and all haste is required." He was about to lead once more but stopped as Laura spoke again.

"Whoa, whoa! Did you just say Rivendell? As in the House of Elrond? The Last Homely House?" The man gave a questioning expression and nodded slowly.

"Yes, my lady. You know of Lord Elrond then. That is indeed rare to find among Men. Few know of him, or at least they care little for the concerns of Elves." Laura heard his words, but did not comprehend them whatsoever. She gaped at him for a few seconds before erupting in laughter.

"That's a great joke. Lord Elrond…Elves…. Are you a friend of Riley's? Did she put you up to this? That's just like her. Just give me a little—" The man fluidly cut her off.

"I am afraid I do not understand, my lady. This is no jest and I know no one by the foreign name of Riley." He glanced over his shoulder to where he had been traveling, his patience wearing thin and worries drastically increasing. One of the children spoke up to the man—the one leading the pony, to be exact—his voice sounding like that of an adult. He was pudgier than the others, seeming just be a simple-minded being, but yet gave off an air of cleverness and strength. The most fear and uncertainty was held in his eyes.

"Strider?"

"Yes, Sam, I know," the man said, nodding swiftly, his mind back on track. He looked to Laura. "I am sorry, but we must carry on, for our need is dire. I sense no evil in you, although, and therefore welcome you to travel with us. I feel with your recognition of Lord Elrond, but slight confusion as to what goes on, it might prove well for you to speak with him." The lobsided grin that had been on Laura's lips disappeared and slipped to a frown, firstly due to the names mentioned between the travelers, but primarily due to how serious the man's tone was as he spoke. Looking into his grey eyes, she could tell he was in no way joking.

"Strider?" she said looking pointedly at him, finally understanding why he had seemed so familiar. He looked exactly like Viggo Mortensen, but Viggo would not be wandering around a forest in Illinois in a Lord of the Rings costume.

"Yes," said Strider, assuming she wanted an answer for the unusual name, "that is what I am called around these parts." He glanced back at his companions and trekked onward, brushing past them as he led on. "Come!" he called back to them all, "we must not tarry any longer. Come along Hobbits!" he said again when they had not responded to his first instruction.

_Hobbits? Strider? Lord Elrond…? _thought Laura, walking as if in a daze behind them. _I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore. _She could not help still being suspicious it was all a hoax and she was just a short distance from her home, but her curiosity won over her and she followed the group, though keeping a few paces behind them for safety.

One of the hobbits looked back at the woman and gradually lagged back until he was in toe with her, trying to keep up with her long strides. Laura had crossed her arms, looking in concentration at the ground, trying to comprehend what was happening. Her gaze strayed, however, to another pair of large feet beside her own. Raising her eyes, she looked into the kindly brown eyes of one of the 'hobbits', a mop of curly blondish hair on his head. Comparing him momentarily to the others of his…race?...she came to conclude that he was the youngest.

"Hullo," he greeted cheerily, a grin upon his features. Laura returned the gesture, suddenly feeling a bit more at ease for some unknown reason. "What is your name?" asked the hobbit in what sounded to be a Scottish accent.

"Pippin!" scolded another one of the hobbits, running back immediately. "Don't be so rude about it. Perhaps she does not want to talk." He looked angrily at Pippin, before turning back to Laura, also walking in toe with the two. He appeared just a slight bit taller than the first, but still looked similar to him. "Excuse my cousin," he apologized. "Sometimes he can be an absolute fool, being a Took after all. Exactly the opposite of us Bradybucks," he added with pride, jabbing a thumb at himself. Laura smiled slightly with a nod, brushing the apology away with the act.

She looked down at the hobbits with interest, wondering if she truly could be in Middle-Earth. The hobbits did look precisely like the actors from the films she so adored and they behaved like she always imagined the characters to. The taller hobbit jabbered on for a few minutes, explaining how Brandybucks were better than Tooks, Pippin throwing in comments here and there. Laura just enjoyed hearing their voices, silently pondering if it were real.

"Oh," the older hobbit exclaimed, smacking his head with his palm. "What am I doing?" He looked Laura squarely in the eyes. "Name's Merry Brandybuck," he introduced with a grin, "and this is Peregrin Took." He pointed to the hobbit beside him.

"Pippin," the young hobbit interjected, to which Merry nodded bluntly in agreement, his gaze landing on the two walking farther ahead: namely Strider and the other hobbit, Sam.

"That's Sam Gamgee," he added, pointing to the largest of the hobbits that carried the heaviest pack, pots and pans swinging idly from it, and still managing to lead a pony. "You've already met Strider," he commented, his eyes staring at the foreboding man that led the group. Sam looked cautiously back as his name was mentioned, but he said nothing, his eyes staring warily at Laura before shifting to Strider.

"And may we ask your name, since you have heard all of ours?" asked Strider, not turning to look back at the followers, knowing they had heard him. Laura kept quiet for a few moments, the gears in her mind spinning. Should she tell who she was to complete strangers, though they did seem to actually be characters from her favorite story? They had acted realistic enough, and taking a breath, throwing chance to the winds, she responded.

"My name's Laura Bradford," she replied to which she noticed Strider nod in thought, glancing back for only a mere second. He noticed exactly how far back the others were, Sam being the exception, and indicated they best keep up with a call.

Laura and the two hobbits immediately quickened their pace until they were a short distance from Strider and Sam. They walked on in silence, giving Laura the time to contemplate over her temporary traveling companions. Her gaze strayed among them all, trying to conclude if she were the target of some insane practical joke, or if in fact, despite the madness of it, she had mysteriously landed in Middle-Earth.

Looking over the hobbits, she noted how they looked real-enough by her standards. Large hairy feet tracked on the ground, curly mops of hair graced their head, yet they bore their adult features upon figures the size of children. Merry and Pippin most definitely seemed much like their movie counterparts, having the same characteristics and qualities about them. She had not had the chance to speak to Sam, however. As if on cue she heard Sam murmur quietly to himself in complaint.

"Sending Mr. Frodo off with that elf! How could you do that to 'im? All those Wraiths are out there. Still think you could be with the Enemy, despite 'is thoughts." Laura smirked to herself. Yes, that was definitely the mindset of Sam, ever the faithful servant and friend to Frodo. Sam suddenly seemed to sense her eyes on him, and looked back, giving her an untrusting stare and shutting up.

Laura's eyes gradually moved to view the backside of the ranger, _the_ Dunedin, Aragorn, or Strider as he was now known. Could he actually be Elessar, the future king of Men? She wanted to find some method to test him, for it proved dangerous to be walking amongst complete strangers who could be complete maniacs in a forest, especially when one carried a sword. Trying to buck up her courage and stifle the fright that boiled up within her at what could occur if she thought wrongly about his realism, she jogged up to walk beside him.

His eyes were downcast at the moment, searching the soft ground for tracks. Imprinted there, he could see the hooves of horses, ten horses, and judging by how deep the prints were they were at a gallop.

"Arwen…," he murmured, concern creeping into his voice, something rarely heard in his normally powerful tone, one that demanded respect. He was slightly startled when he saw another pair of feet beside him, and shook the thoughts away. Glancing up, he looked at Laura, no smile gracing his lips, and his features not betraying his original reaction.

Laura offered a slight smile in a minor attempt to comfort. If he were Aragorn, she understood where his thoughts lay. She glanced over his figure as his eyes reverted away from her. There had to be something she could ask about to help her indicate if he were truly Aragorn, something that would not increase his suspicions of her. She thought on the sword he bore, but decided against it, she considered him being of a line of kings, but again turned that down. She then noticed the single, silver ring he wore on his finger. It was such a small detail to the costume; she could hardly imagine some person going to such great lengths to get a ring to match the one that Aragorn wore in the film. Still, she thought it best to question it, in order to reassure her thoughts.

"That ring," she began quietly to him, drawing his silver orbs to her own emerald ones, "it's beautiful. Where did you get it?" Strider rose his hand and looked over the ring for a brief moment before letting it drop and responding.

"It is an heirloom of my family. The ring of Barahir is its name." He left his answer at that, not wishing to go into detail for fear of revealing his true identity, especially when the hobbits did not know it.

Laura nodded as if in understanding, when in fact she nodded to silently confirm her thoughts. _Someone making a prank wouldn't know that little fact, let alone have such a detailed costume._ Not saying a word, she decided on trusting her instinct. Somehow, she had to have come to Middle-Earth, but doubt still lingered, and she would only completely admit she had arrived on a new world once she had seen the House of Elrond. If their journey ended by arriving at a home of extraordinary beauty, one that could be deemed the Last Homely House, and she had seen Lord Elrond himself (if he truly existed), she would believe she had appeared in a world she only knew as one in stories and tales.

The company walked in silence for the next half hour or so, each keeping up in pace, though gradually tiring by the look of it. Laura was the least ready for such extraneous walking and her legs were near ready to give out beneath her. Her breathing became shallow as she tired. They had been walking on a path in a wood for near an hour and still the scenery had not changed. Trees surrounded them, bushes and shrubs dotted throughout the area. If there had been no path, Laura would have sworn they had passed the same tree numerous times, for when within a forest, every piece of greenery looks the same as the last. No tree appears different, no blade of grass stands out among the rest, and all is simply green and thriving. Would they ever leave the realm of the forest? Laura began to doubt it.

Her feet took to stumbling more on miscellaneous stones, causing her to sway dangerously before catching her balance at the last moment. At this revelation Laura's gaze became drawn to her companions. The hobbits seemed to be lagging behind Aragorn and herself more than usual, their short legs slowing in pace, though they kept a brave face and plowed on. Laura noticed especially Sam's exhaustion, lugging a large pack full of goods and leading a pony as well. She could still distinguish the obvious distrust of both Strider and herself on his features, his eyes suspicious and disagreeing.

Allowing herself to fall back, she walked beside him, immediately gaining his mistrusting gaze. She laid a hand lightly on his shoulder, bringing his dark eyes upon hers. A soft, compassionate smile is what met him, but that did not eliminate his wariness. As far as he was concerned, kindness and comforting words were some of the simplest tools of deceit. He was surprised immensely, however, at her next words.

"I've been noticing you're worrying for someone close to you. You have enough on your plate, and your pony enough on his back. Let me help you carry your pack. I could use the exercise anyway," she added, in attempt to lighten the mood. He did not look solaced, although, and instead replied with curious words.

"Why do you want to 'elp me?" he asked, not entirely understanding what she had said. "And how do you know what I'm feeling?" Laura was not taken aback by his question, seeing them as suitable for Sam, considering the situation. The more time she spent among the strangers, the more open she was in accepting them for Lord of the Rings characters. Her smile only grew at his words, hoping to convince him of her sincerity.

"I want to help you 'cause I see you deserve help, and as for my knowin' what you're feeling, let's just call it a hunch." Sam made no response, but seeing no reason to reject her offer to help, he cautiously began to remove his pack. He eyed her in wonder and disbelief as he obliged, handing over his pack, but gratitude flowed from within his weary muscles once he had relinquished his belongings. The lack of weight sent a burst of energy up his spine, and he was compelled to go on.

Laura shouldered the pack, finding herself surprised at what a burden it proved to be. If she were even struggling to walk with it, she could hardly imagine what hell Sam had been going through. Despite her creaking joints and protesting muscles, she used the strain of the pack to motivate her. Allowing only a few moments of silence to pass, she spoke aloud to Strider.

"How far 'till we're there?"

"We are close," came the Ranger's curt response as he wound his way amongst the trees that continued to surround them. He was far from his last legs, and strength still burned within him. If there were a need, he could walk for days without growing a slight bit tired, but due to the trials he had faced in the past days, he was even beginning to weaken. He still was the most fit among the company however. Looking back to his companions, his eyes scanned each of them in turn, lingering on Laura for the longest amount of time.

"I have never seen such garb in all the likes of Middle-Earth before, Lady Laura," he commented, gaining her attention straight away. She looked down at the shirt, jeans, and shoes she wore momentarily before her eyes landed upon the back of his head as he continued. "Where do you hail from to have such unique clothing?" He did not speak solely for the purpose of discussion, but in attempt to rejuvenate the company's waning energy with some conversation. He could sense no danger near, and therefore thought it safe to risk some words; otherwise he would dare not have questioned her. Also, his curiosity was piqued of who exactly their newest companion was, so he listened intently for any reply.

Laura made no sound right away. Her eyes instead took to surveying the ground her feet walked on. What sort of answer should she give? The truth could very well cause the others to give her strange glances, but a lie could later raise suspicions. To not reply, itself would be rude and also could increase mistrust. Looking at every possible response, she realized anywhere she turned could come out badly, and cause terrible reactions. As the hobbits began to give her quizzical looks, she settled on a reply and spoke forward.

"I come from a land far from here. One you most likely would not know of." Strider offered a sidelong glance at her, but took her vague answer as it was. It was her choice to explain where she came from or no, but the fact of the matter was that her answer increased his curiosity and interest more so.

"I have traveled much of Middle-Earth and know it well, though I shall take your word," was his simple response, indicating he understood her wishes and would not press further on the matter. Laura released a bated breath, thanking the Ranger silently for his selfless act. It was then she realized she enjoyed the man's company and found him very intelligent and worldly. He perceived much and took things in stride, a trait she greatly admired.

In a short time, they came to a stream, shallow enough to wade through, and yet with a powerful current that could easily knock one off their feet. The small company looked longingly to the other bank. Laura glanced over the rocky preface where the steam surged from. In her mind's eye, she could see the waters rear up and take the shape of brilliant stallions, overcoming the Enemy as they attempted to cross the Ford. _It seems so real_, she mused to herself, gazing in wonder. Strider knelt down and pawed at the ground, speaking quietly to himself, though still loud enough for the others to hear.

"There were ten horses on this shore…," his eyes looked across the waters, "yet I only see the prints of a single horse on the opposite bank." He stood to his feet, his grey orbs scanning the ford. "Hope is kindled in my heart at this sight," he murmured, then looked back at his companions. "We must cross this ford, and we shall then be in the realm of Lord Elrond. A short distance more and we shall arrive in Rivendell." He smiled grimly at the look of horror on the hobbits' faces at the prospect of going into the water. "Do not fear," he said calmly to ease their worries. "The water is low. It should come up to your waist at most." Without saying another word, he plunged into the ford, the water rushing against him and lapping up against his calves. Laura stepped in right after him, wading easily through the water until halfway to shore. Aragorn was three-fourths of the way across by then. The woman looked back to see the three hobbits still as stone. Not one of them had taken a step closer towards the rough waters.

"Don't worry," she called to them. "You heard Strider. The water won't be too high, and we're close as ever to Rivendell." At her goading, Pippin cautiously stepped forward, slipping his large feet into the stream. Laura turned around to see Strider climb onto the opposite bank, looking back for his remaining companions. "One minute!" she hollered to him over the roar of the speeding ford. Aragorn nodded in compliance as he watched the woman turn about and crash through the water towards the hobbits.

"Come on," she said in a quieter tone as she came nearer to them. "I'll take Bill. You just take care of yourselves." She trampled up to them and took the pony's reins from Sam, gesturing for them to go ahead. Merry started forward, following Pippin into the water, but Sam remained behind, a question plaguing his mind.

"How did you know Bill's name?" he asked, his eyes scrutinizing her in curiosity. Laura silently cursed, realizing she had messed up right away. How was she going to explain she knew all about them due to some books that she read? Her mind thinking quickly, she answered as rapidly as she could.

"I thought I heard Strider mention it once on the journey." Sam looked at her questioningly for a long moment more, but luckily for Laura, Merry called for the hobbit, indicating he should follow. Sam seemed to forget all about his question immediately and jumped down after the other hobbits, his urgency to get to Rivendell overpowering his suspicions for the moment. Laura pushed him ahead, watching the hobbits as they struggled across the ford. She sensed they were managing well enough, however, and placed her concentration on getting both herself and Bill across.

Strider assisted each hobbit up the slippery bank in turn, ending in helping Laura lead Bill. He smiled lightly with a laugh as he met her and grabbed hold of Bill's reins. The bottom of her jeans and shoes were drenched to the core, and he realized with ease that her clothes had to be soaking wet with the multiple times she had crossed the waters.

"I most definitely see you are not the typical maiden who would cringe at the thought of wading through a ford," he commented, leading Bill easily up the slope as she followed, trudging behind him. She grinned at the observation, and waited until they locked eyes before she replied.

"Far from it. I'm always willing to get my hands dirty, or help a hobbit in need." She glanced lightheartedly at the hobbits as they attempted to wring the clinging water from their tunics and trousers. Strider followed her gaze, an equal smile upon his worn features.

Laura turned her green orbs from the hobbits to notice Strider, or Aragorn as she should rightly call him. His smile caused his careworn face to lose many years. The spark of knowledge and worldliness still shone brightly in his eyes, but a smile on his features brought back a certain youth and happiness not often seen there. That in itself brought a grin to the woman's face. Aragorn chuckled lightly at the hobbits' poor attempts to rid themselves of the dampness and instead spoke some words of comfort.

"Come, hobbits. There are clean clothes and warm beds in Rivendell awaiting your arrival. The sooner we are there, the sooner you return to comforts not so different from your own hobbit holes." The few words brought glints of anticipation to the three hobbits' eyes, and immediately they readied themselves to continue on, Sam once more resuming his duty of leading Bill, but not before inclining his head in thanks to both Laura and Aragorn.

The troop walked around the preface of a small cliff, paying little attention to their surroundings (Aragorn being the exception), until they beheld a sight that made their jaws fall open. The Last Homely House stood before them and it was utterly beyond belief to see. No words could accurately describe the Elvish haven to its due credit. Waterfalls rolled majestically off the rocky cliffs the city resided on. Luscious trees surrounded the buildings, their leaves the gold, reds, and oranges of autumn trickling lightly to the ground on a soft breeze. The city itself seemed to glow in its brilliance, making it seem a heaven of sorts. Rivendell seemed untouched by the years and immortal in its own sense. Time did not appear to elapse at the House of Elrond, all just occurred in the present moment, while the world around it went about its own affairs.

The company, still awestruck by the magnificence of the Elf-lord's home, entered beneath the great stone arch of the haven as if in a daze. Only Aragorn seemed unperturbed and collected. He led the troop on easily, bearing his destination in mind and silently looking forward to the peace Rivendell would offer.

They approached a stairway leading up into a hall. There, at the height of the steps, stood an elf, tall and regal in bearing. His face was stern, holding within its features the memory of all the years that had passed. A cold gleam lit his careworn eyes, one that demanded respect, and yet gave the viewer a glimpse at the many horrors he had seen in his days of living, as well as the pleasantries. Long raven hair flowed down his back, landing lightly on the shoulders of his robe. A bright circlet christened his head, thus completing his appearance. Lord Elrond stood before them.

"Welcome to Rivendell, my friends," he proclaimed as he greeted them, ushering them inside.


	3. Among New Friends Partial Revision

Chapter 3: Among New Friends

Elrond smiled slightly at the guests, repeating, "Welcome," as they drew nearer and stood just before him on the steps. "I see the worry etched upon your faces and wish to ease that," he continued. "Frodo has just left my care and now rests in one of the rooms. He arrived just in time, I must confess." Aragorn looked at Elrond uncertainly, his eyes shifting to Laura. Elrond caught the expression with ease. "Do not fear, Estel. We are amongst friends here." He then looked over each of the beings before him in turn, his eyes, admittedly remaining the longest upon Laura.

"You have traveled far and are in need of rest," he said, noticing the looks of anticipation in the hobbits' eyes. Calmly, he gestured for an elf woman to approach. "Please lead the guests to our available rooms, preferably ones near to Frodo." Aragorn led the way up the steps, the others following him. As he passed the Elf-lord, Aragorn bowed low, to which Elrond nodded curtly in return. The hobbits looked at him wide-eyed, noticing right away that by his figure he demanded respect. Sam made a quick attempt to bow as he passed. Laura was last to ascend the steps as was prepared to bow in greeting to Elrond as well, but stopped as he addressed her.

"Before you depart to your chamber," he said, raising a hand in gesture for her to halt, "I wish to have a word with you." Laura nodded in compliance, and sped after Elrond as he walked her through the halls of Rivendell and brought her to an office. _I am _definitely_ not in Kansas anymore_, Laura thought as she followed the Elf-lord. Elrond walked to the back of a desk, murmuring, "Close the door, please," as he took a seat. Laura obliged, shutting the door soundlessly behind her, then stepped farther into his office. "Take a seat," said Elrond, gesturing to a vacant chair with his long slender fingers. Laura once more did as she was bid, but did not speak a word.

"Now," he began, resting his elbows upon his desk and clasping his hands. His tone in itself spoke authority and seriousness. "I believe you know who I am. Is that so?" Laura nodded, getting the impression that she was being scrutinized by his cold eyes.

"Yes," she finally said quietly, getting the use of her vocal cords back, "you're Lord Elrond Half-Elven." Elrond blinked, but said nothing for a moment more. Eventually, he continued.

"Please, tell me your name." No mirth or joy was held in his eyes, but Laura could sense he meant well. He had been through many trials in all his years of living, the finding of the One Ring would be his greatest obstacle to overcome and required the utmost seriousness, so she did not take his bluntness as offense.

Despite the feeling of the situation, she felt a bit more comfortable speaking to Elrond about herself compared to Aragorn or the hobbits. Yes, Strider was a loyal, trustworthy, understanding, etc. but the woman could not help but feel he was more prone to suspicions and closed-minded, unlike Elrond. The Lord of Rivendell would take her story and give her a chance to support herself, therefore she did not hesitant in replying.

"L-Laura Bradford," she stammered. It was difficult to stand firm under the steely gaze of Lord Elrond. He nodded slowly, as if assuring himself of whether she spoke the truth.

"Yes…," he mumbled quietly, his eyes glancing down at his desk momentarily. In unexpected rapidness, his eyes landed on hers once more. "Well, Laura, I also believe you know who Frodo is and what has happened to him." Once again, Laura nodded, feeling completely certain it was better to first tell Elrond of who she was, but by his questions it seemed he already had some vague idea. "Tell me who he is then and why he is in my care." Laura knew he was simply testing her, but saw no point in lying to Elrond, therefore, coughing once, she began.

"He's Frodo Baggins of the Shire. He's the nephew of Bilbo Baggins, and is now the Ring-bearer. He carried the One Ring of power from the Shire to Rivendell, and Gandalf the Grey has been helping him too. He's under your care because he was stabbed on Weathertop by the Witchking of Angmar. The sword used was poisoned. Aragorn, or Strider as he's dubbed, has been leading Frodo and the others here from Bree, as well." Elrond nodded thoughtfully. Yes, her description was clear and correct to the last detail. He had been receiving word from Gandalf for a period of time, as well as the few allies in the land.

"That is correct," said Elrond. "I see you know more than you have experienced, for you were not among the hobbits for a long while, only recently you joined them I believe." Elrond spoke more to himself than Laura at the time. He allowed silence to lapse for a few minutes, his mind in obvious thought. Then, at length, he spoke again.

"I can also see by your clothing that you are not of lands near here," he commented, his eyes taking in the sight of her garb, "and I know for a fact you are not even of this world." His stern eyes came to lock on her emerald orbs. A reaction of shock and surprise played across her features, but she said nothing. "You know of what is to happen in Middle-Earth and exactly what is currently happening." He was not asking a question, no, he was stating to her, but nonetheless, Laura nodded in agreement. His eyes stayed upon her as he spoke, not letting a fleeting expression pass across her face unnoticed. Laura managed to keep his gaze, though could not help the feeling of nervousness that climbed up her spine when under the piercing eyes of Elrond. That feeling was mixed with one of curiosity and confusion. Elrond took note of the expression and smiled slightly at the girl in attempt to ease her

"Allow me to explain," he said, relaxing to a certain degree. He sat back in his chair until his back came to rest against its wooden frame. His hands, although, remained entwined, and his expression taut. "I know of you because of a prophesy made many centuries ago. This prophesy was not made specifically about you, but of a person designated to help Middle-Earth in a time of darkness. To put it simply, I believe you are that person." Laura looked on the Elf-lord with utter interest, finding his words fascinating. "It was made by the Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien," he continued after a short length of silence, "who has the gift of foresight, the strength of which far surpasses my own," he added. "This prophesy stated that during a time when Middle-Earth was covered in the darkness of Mordor, a being of a different world would arrive. They would know the future of Middle-Earth, thus having the power to balance the rift of good and evil that has so long been weighted. Now, that being could either balance the scales by helping destroy the darkness with their knowledge or put favor towards Sauron and thusly destroying Middle-Earth." A hint of a shadow passed across his eyes, but slipped away as fast as it had appeared. He spoke in a purely business-like manner as he went on.

"Some time ago, I spoke to Lady Galadriel and she gave me warning that the Shadow was spreading. Her prophesy, she said, would soon come to pass. I was to watch for the arrival of a being that did not look of this world, but from another land. I could determine this by their appearance, by their speech, by their reactions…." Laura looked somewhat dumbstruck, unconsciously proving Elrond's point. "I did not base my conclusion of you on having simply seen you approach me as I greeted you, although. No. I have scouts that roam the forests near here and report back. They had noticed your arrival and I was pleased to hear you had met Aragorn and were traveling here with him. They explained you to appear 'other-worldly'" He took a moment's pause before continuing.

"That is how I knew of your arrival, and that is solely all the information I know of you. I must warn you however," his tone dramatically becoming grave, "you shall not be returning to your home. The Valar have sent you here in attempts to balance the scales and not have the Shadow dominate once and for all. Upon your birth, this was chosen as your Fate, and therefore you shall remain in Middle-Earth. All the trials you have labored through in your past life were to strengthen you for this one life-changing event. I cannot caution you enough as to how one choice on your part could change the outcome of Middle-Earth for the ages to come." Laura visibly gulped, nodding cautiously as she took in the sternness in which Elrond spoke, though her mind was filled to the brim with Elrond's words. Noting how seriously she made her reply without words, he lightened his tone somewhat. She understood how great a task she carried; he could see so in her eyes.

"Since you shall be remaining in Middle-Earth and Rivendell for the meantime, I recommend you try to get acquainted with Middle-Earth, but through your interactions be sure not to mention your knowledge of the future. It could prove a hard blow if someone were to know your purpose here. They could attempt to take advantage of you, or in the worst case, mention your existence to the Enemy, thus endangering yourself and all others you might know. As long as you remain silent concerning that fact, you should be safe for the present." His tone had regained its graveness for a brief moment, but returned to being simply stern. A slight smile creased his lips.

"Might I also suggest that you attempt to rid yourself of your dialect and go through a change of wardrobe? I think it would be wisest to give the impression that you have always lived in Middle-Earth. If one of the guests here were to ask where you hail from, the North would be a suitable area, and if they were to ask your purpose in Rivendell, claim you were asked to come here by my invitation." Laura nodded obediently to Elrond, seeing it best to do as the Elven-lord said. Confusion and regret lingered in her expression however, for the information revealed to her came as a shock. She was never to return home…never to see family…friends….again. That was her "old live" as Elrond had called it, and apparently Middle-Earth was the start of her new one. Elrond smiled compassionately to Laura, standing from his seat as the interview, so to speak, was over.

"Welcome to Middle-Earth, Laura. I hope your stay in Rivendell is enjoyable, and look to seeing you here as the days progress." Laura stood from her seat as well, bowing low to Elrond in utmost respect. "There should be someone just outside the door to lead you to your room. Receive some rest, and overcome your shock and grief. I know what I say must be difficult to understand. _Garo tinnu vaer._" He nodded his farewell, his palms resting against his desk as he watched Laura turn to leave the room. Her hand just mere inches from the door, he spoke once more. (Have a good night.)

"One other thing, Laura." The girl turned and looked to Elrond curiously. He had regained his taut expression, his steely gaze returned to his features. "I am holding a council in a few days' time to deal with the present situation." He did not need to clarify, for Laura understood immediately what he spoke of. "Many are to come from different realms in representation of their people. I would like to have you there as well, concerning your knowledge. You need not say anything, only listen." Laura nodded for what felt like the twelfth time that evening, and a glimmer of happiness came to Elrond's features. "Thank you," he said, sitting at his desk as he looked to the girl. "You may go." The woman made no response, but instead turned, her face void of emotion, and slipped through the door into the Elven-lord's halls.

Laura slept peacefully, her eyes closed in content as she lay comfortably on her bed. Light filtered beneath her eyelids from a window and she let out a low moan of protest. Grabbing a pillow sleepily, she pulled it over her head to block out the dreaded light of the sun. A sharp knock was heard against her door and she grumbled, pulling the blankets tighter about her.

"Go away..." she growled. The visitor was persistent, however, and the rapping continued, louder and more frequent. Her anguish increased and the woman immediately sat up, shielding her eyes from the blazing morning sun that swept into her room. "Let me sleep!" she near shouted, her eyes squinted tiredly. The expression did not last long however, as a gasp escaped her lips. She looked about the lavishly adorned room she occupied.

The cream-colored walls glinted brilliantly in the daylight as specks of gold leaf reflected the magnificence of the morning sun. Gold trimmings ran along the walls bringing a delicate beauty, a delicate touch to the room, one that could easily be shattered, or so it felt. Within the room a hand-crafted oak armoire, desk, and dresser rest against the light walls, drawing in some color and depth. Pale green vases and pottery that contrasted lightly against the softened walls stood out beautifully adding more to the Elvish atmosphere the room portrayed.

The bed Laura lay on held the same colors and feel. A creamy white was the color of the sheets, gold and light green inlayed to bring out a lighthearted feeling. The bed frame itself matched perfectly with the other pieces of furniture, made in the exact same style and of the same oak.

What completely captured the woman's attention, however, was not necessarily the exquisite room she found herself in, but the view which met her outside. Two doors stood open on the wall across from the bed, a balcony in plain sight. Just beyond the wooden rail of the balcony was a breathtaking sight of Rivendell. The entire Elvish realm rest just outside in all its spectacular magnificence. To wake to such a spectacle every morning, Laura realized, must give you the feeling of being in Heaven, in an absolute paradise, for at that specific moment, that was exactly what she felt.

The entire sight of it all jarred Laura back to reality. She was not at home in her own bed, as she had originally thought prior to opening her eyes; she was in Middle-Earth, in the House of Elrond. It was no dream…it was real. Shock began to sink in and the memories of the evening before returned. She had spoken to Elrond, than after their conference she had been led by one of the servants to the glorious room she was in. Without thought, she proceeded in undressing and slipping into a nightgown provided. Her mind had been filled with surreal, wild thoughts, ones that took every bit of her concentration. Her thoughts had been whirling haphazardly with all that Elrond had told her: a prophecy…never returning home…knowledge of the future…and above all Middle Earth! A place she had always believed to be fiction, a world only known in tales, and yet it was real. The full shock of it had hit her the evening before and it was hitting her once more.

Laura breathed heavily, her eyes looking wildly about her, taking in the sight of the room for the first time, but more importantly, trying to comprehend exactly what had been said to her by Elrond. Her thoughts had been straightened out due to sleep, now it came to believing and understanding the revealed information. Her mind was absorbed in her thoughts, but the rapid knocking finally penetrated, gaining her attention. Her head turned sharply to the two large oaken doors she assumed led to a corridor. The visitor stood just outside those doors.

Her mind jumping to something similar to an automatic mode, she leapt from the bed, and noticed the state of her dress. A simple lightweight nightgown was all that clothed her. Her bare flesh felt the delicate material, bringing on a sense of nakedness. Realizing her obvious discomfort, she ran to the wardrobe and threw open the doors, catching sight of a robe. Speedily, she whipped the robe from the wardrobe and threw it about her shoulders, tying it about her waist as a final act. The rapping by now had grown sharper and more agitated, but at last, the Laura was ready.

"Come in!" she called hurriedly, recalling that Elrond recommended she try and speak like others of Middle-Earth. She would have to try and drop her slang; something she hoped would not prove too hard. In stepped an Elvish maiden, a maid by the looks of it. Dark hair flowed gingerly down her back and a smile graced her face.

"My lady," she said kindly with a curtsy to Laura. The woman merely frowned, unaccustomed to such actions. "Lord Elrond bid me tell you when the morning meal is to take place. He would enjoy your presence there." Laura simply nodded, finding nothing worth saying in response. The Elvish woman continued. "It is to take place in an hour's time and it would be well that you dress for the occasion. Some dresses now hang in the wardrobe there." She pointed with long, slender fingers to the wardrobe Laura had just recently opened. Laura looked over at the beautifully carved oak piece and nodded.

"Yes," she replied quietly, nodding ever so slightly as she spoke. The maid curtsied again, having followed her orders. Laura was still lost in her own thoughts, but heard as the Elf spoke again.

"Allow me to draw you a bath, my lady." She gracefully walked across the room to another door Laura had not noticed before. With a fluid motion, she opened the door to reveal a large marble tub there, again light and grainy in coloring. A smaller wash basin lay on a table within the room. "I have heard that you traveled here with Lord Aragorn and his companions," she continued, walking into the bathing chamber and readying the tub. "I suspect that you would wish to cleanse yourself then." Laura remained rooted to her position, watching the Elven woman with keen eyes, but hardly speaking a word. Finally, however, given the situation, she replied.

"I suppose you are correct. The wild is most definitely not the cleanliest of places." She struggled to hold her tongue concerning her normal speech patterns. When she had opened her mouth, she could feel her lips longing to form the words, 'Yeah, I guess so. It's definitely not clean out there.' It took a bit of restraint to keep from speaking in slang and contractions. She managed however, and breathed in relief as the Elvish maid smiled, not suspecting Laura for a foreigner.

"I shall prepare your bath then, my lady," she said, sweeping out of the room altogether to go and retrieve some buckets of warm water.

The bath was warm and peaceful, seeming to wipe away Laura's worries. The day itself went by relatively uneventful and equally as peaceful; Middle-Earth just took some getting used to. Gradually as she spoke, the woman became more accustomed to the speech patterns of the people, and began speaking just as well as them. No one suspected her of being of another world, bringing a certain sense of comfort to her.

A few days passed and Laura found herself growing even more at ease. She would go usually and speak to Aragorn and the hobbits during the day, finding content in the innocence and lightheartedness of Pippin and Merry. Oftentimes she would find herself on walks with them, laughing and listening to their jokes. Sam would join them only rarely due to his worry of Frodo. According to Merry and Pippin, he much preferred to stay by Frodo's side and care for him. A feeling of admiration for Sam coursed through Laura at hearing of his dedication to his master and she approved his actions wholeheartedly. For the times he did join them on their strolls, she often wondered why he did not just return to Frodo's side due to his constant mutterings of worry. It was usual to be coming from Sam, although, and Laura was pleased to see how he had warmed up to her during their short stay in Rivendell.

A sharp rapping was heard against Laura's door and she hardly had time to call out when two hobbits bounded into the room and jumped giddily on the bed Laura had previously been sleeping soundly on.

"Frodo is up!" yelled Pippin cheerily, a large grin on his face as he revealed the news to Laura. Merry sat on the bed beside his younger cousin with an equally large grin.

"Just woke up this morning!" he added, looking happily at the bleary-eyed Laura who had just been woken rapidly from her peaceful slumber.

Alternate Opening

Elrond walked the five guests through the halls of Rivendell and brought them into an office and repeated, "Welcome," as he sat down at his desk. Strider spoke as he placed his hand to his heart and bowed, as is elf fashion.

"Lord Elrond, glad I am to have come home again."

"Yes, welcome back, Estel," Elrond stated to the ranger. His voice was strong and serious; truly portraying his royalty and power. His face looked somewhat grim, worn by the moving years, yet his face was still fair to look upon and you could see gladness lingering in his eyes. He turned to look at the hobbits.

"Ah, you must be Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Samwise Gamgee." The hobbits' mouths gaped open and eyes widened at this elf, who they had just met, knowing their names.

"Yes, I know of you and I know Frodo shall be fine; he only needs time," he said laughing, merriment shining in his eyes. This seemed to rarely happen. "But, currently he is resting."

He looked at each of the hobbits' expressions, but then his gaze turned to Laura. He smiled slightly; his eyes knowing and understanding.

"Laura Bradford. I have been expecting you."

Now it was her turn to have her mouth gap open and eyes widen. _He had been expecting me! _she thought. _He can know the hobbits; they are from here, but me! I'm not from this time period, and Elrond knows who I am! How can this be? _Elrond's gaze lingered on her a moment more, before he turned to the whole company as he stood.

"You must have had a long journey. Arwen will show you to your chambers. Until tomorrow."

"Good day, Lady Laura," Arwen greeted after she had brought the others to their chambers. Her raven brown hair flowed down her back, much like her father. Her beauty surpassed that of any Laura had known; eyes sparkling and dazzling in the light. She completely understood why Aragorn loved her so; Laura could look into Arwen's eyes and see the same love and compassion that was in Aragorn's. She moved gracefully with faint footfalls. "Follow me," she said as she approached Laura.

She brought Laura down the corridor and stopped in front of two huge oak doors. She opened them and inside was the most beautiful room Laura had ever seen. Inside was a queen-sized bed, the blankets green and gold, each made perfectly and to one side of the room stood a hand-crafted armoire, the carvings made to the smallest detail. She ran over and opened it; there were dresses of every type and color inside, all beautifully stitched. She closed the doors, than walked over to an adjoining room; it held a large tub and a basin for washing up. Bottles lay on a table nearby, each containing a shampoo or soap for washing. She ran back into the main chamber, Arwen still standing by the doorway, smiling. In her excitement, Laura hadn't noticed a balcony leading from her room. She ran onto it a beheld an enchanting view of Rivendell. The entire realm lay before her eyes. Her eyes remained there for a few minutes until she turned and walked back into the chamber. When she beheld Arwen, she wore an overly joyful smile, her eyes dancing with merriment. Arwen smiled in return, amused at Laura's glee.

"Oh my, Arwen, this is more than I ever expected. Thank you." Arwen laughed happily at Laura; her excitement was unimaginable.

"You are welcome, mellon nin. I shall take my leave if nothing else is needed." (my friend) When Laura did not respond, she turned around, about to leave.

"Before you leave Arwen," Laura quickly asked, "could you tell me how long it has been since Frodo arrived?" Arwen turned once again, to face the young women.

"It had been three days and he is fully healed. Unfortunately, scars shall remain from the wound; _they_ will never fully heal." She sighed, but continued, "Gandalf the Grey and many others had arrived shortly before you. They are here at my father's bidding; a council is to be held tomorrow. Aragorn and Frodo shall be attending. Is there anything else you wish to know?" she asked politely.

"Yes, one more thing. Could you please tell me where the gardens are, for I have a desire to walk through them? The beauty of Rivendell astounds me."

Arwen smiled once more and told her where they were, then took her leave. As soon as Arwen had left, a maid entered, wondering if Laura would like her to draw a bath. Laura agreed; a bath was surely what she needed. The maid drew her bath and assisted Laura in washing herself. The elvish shampoos smelled so wonderful; some like the forest and others like flowers. When Laura had washed, she went to the armoire to choose a dress; a blue one caught her eye. She pulled it out and was dazzled by its simple beauty. It had a decent cut neck line and long, flowing sleeves. The maid assisted her in dressing and when she saw herself in the mirror, she was amazed. The dress fit her perfectly and made her look gorgeous. It curved and flowed down her body just right. The maid, seeing her task was finished, curtsied and left the chamber. Laura just pulled a brush through her hair once more, to smooth it out. Then she looked at her reflection again, and left her chamber.

She found her way through the winding corridors and eventually came upon the gardens she desired to walk through. They were the most beautiful gardens Laura had ever seen; living in the woods in her cabin had given her a liking of nature. Every flower you could imagine was here; including many Laura did not know. As she looked at the flowers, she found herself thinking about what Elrond had said. _Why was he expecting me? _she thought. _How did he know about me and who I was? I'll have to speak to him later._ She noticed a beautiful little flower among all the others and looked at it intently. It was very simple, yet to Laura it was the most beautiful flower there. It had white delicate petals and looked as if it would fall apart if she were to touch it.

"Simbelmyne," a melodious voice said from behind her. "It grows more commonly in the realm of Lothlorien, but Lord Elrond brought some flowers to Rivendell because of their simple beauty."

Laura turned and saw an elf walk towards her. He had flawless skin; it looked to made of porcelain. His silky blond hair flowed down past his shoulders. Brilliant blue eyes looked at her, seeming to look into her soul; they were not as hard and stern as Elrond's, yet they were serious and strong. He had seen many horrible things, but seemed to portray a royal air about him. He looked like that of a warrior, yet not, at the same time. He seemed more caring and understanding than a regular warrior, like Aragorn was. Actually, he seemed very much alike Aragorn. A green and brown tunic with brown leggings and black boots is what he wore. His voice was calm and soothing, like that of a river falling over a waterfall.

"I see I am not the only one who sought peace in the enchanting gardens of Rivendell," he said, politely.

"No, you are not," Laura replied smiling. He smiled in return and introduced himself.

"I am Legolas of Mirkwood," he said with a bow.

"I am Laura Bradford," Laura responded, nodding. Legolas furrowed his brow in confusion. Laura frowned at this.

"An odd name…Laura…, I have not heard it before, yet it is beautiful all the same. Is it common to be named so where you hail from?"

"Yes," she replied laughing, now smiling again. "The name is very common."

Legolas smiled and picked up her hand, brushing his lips over her knuckles, saying,

"Tis a pleasure to meet you, milady."

"Likewise, my prince," Laura replied as he stood again, smiling. Legolas raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"How did you know I was a prince, for I had not said so?"

"Lady Arwen had told me," Laura lied. He couldn't know where she had come from.

"Ah, I see." He paused, but than continued. "Dinner is to begin soon. Would you like me to escort you thither?"

"I would be honored," Laura replied, blushing, as he offered his arm.

"Nay, milady, the honor is mine."

She hooked her arm into his and they left to go to the Dining Hall.

Hello again, old readers. I am afraid that is all I ever wrote of the revision. I have not updated it to 2011; I left it as I wrote it in 2006, making a few minor corrections. I hope you enjoyed this bizarre little throwback, and I want to thank you for all the reviews and kind words you have sent me over the years. It was only for you that I wrote.


End file.
